2011 News Releases

Longwood accounting professor appointed to Virginia Board of Accountancy

November 1, 2011

Dr. Robert J. Cochran, associate professor of accounting at Longwood University, was appointed recently to the Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) by Gov. Bob McDonnell.

Cochran, a certified public accountant, was appointed to a four-year term and will be eligible to be reappointed for another four years when his term expires June 30, 2015. The seven-member VBOA must have at least one member who is an educator in the field of accountancy and a CPA. Cochran is that member.

Cochran replaces Dr. O. Whitfield Broome Jr. of the University of Virginia, whose second term expired recently. Cochran, whose appointment was announced Oct. 28, was nominated by the Virginia Society of CPAs in November 2010. He is a member of that organization and serves on its ethics committee.

The VBOA regulates CPAs through a program of examination, licensure of individuals and CPA firms, consumer protection through enforcement of VBOA statutes and regulations, continuing professional education and peer review. Its mission is to "protect the citizens of the Commonwealth through a regulatory program of licensure and compliance of CPAs and CPA firms."

Cochran will attend his first VBOA meeting Nov. 2 at the University of Richmond. The board meets at least once a month. Its meetings are open to the public and are usually held at the Board's offices in western Henrico County near Richmond.

Cochran has taught at Longwood since fall 2003. He taught previously at UR for three years, the first year as an adjunct, then, after receiving his Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2001, he was a visiting professor for two years. He earned a B.B.A. at the College of William & Mary in 1979.

Cochran began his career by working in public accounting in Washington, D.C., for KPMG, one of the four largest CPA firms in the world, from 1979 to 1984. He worked in mortgage banking, mostly in Northern Virginia, from 1984 through 1997, when he decided to pursue a doctorate.

Cochran grew up an Army "brat" and thus moved often, though he attended high school in Hampton and has lived in Virginia since 1972 and for 44 years of his life.

In addition to the CPA educator, the VBOA also consists, by statute, of five CPAs who have practiced for at least three years and a citizen member who may be an accountant but is not a CPA.